How to Talk Like a Beer Geek; Beer in Your Beer Hole!

Today we are going to talk about a few terms that have to do with your beer hole! The best thing about beer, plain and simple, is putting it in your mouth. But once that beery goodness is in there, a lot goes on. So let’s talk about a few things going on up in there!

The first term is mouthfeel. This word is basically the way the beer feels when it is all up in your beer hole. Is it sparkly feeling from lots of carbonation, creamy feeling from being a nitro beer, or maybe a bit of an oily coating feel from an abundance of hop oils? A lot of things can contribute to this including sugars, hops, proteins, adjuncts, carbonation method and amount, the list goes on and on.

The next term is surprisingly not the end of your mouth’s drinking experience:  The finish! The finish is how the beer tastes and makes your mouth feel right after you swallow that big gulp of deliciousness. Does it have a malty finish, a hoppy finish, a dry finish...? The big finish has a big effect on your mouth’s beer happiness level.

The final mouth piece of drinking your beer is the aftertaste. Many people would say this is the same as the finish, and I guess this is partly correct, but partly not. Aftertaste is more the lingering tastes that stick around for a while after you are done with your beer or are done with a gulp of it. The main reason why I disagree with those who say that finish and aftertaste are the same thing is that every beer has a finish, but not every beer has an aftertaste to it.

So there you go, aspiring beer geeks! Three beer terms that help make your beer hole happy; mouthfeel, finish, and aftertaste... Just to make sure you have these three terms covered I think it’s time for you to go put some beer in your mouth!

3 Growlers: Paulaner's Oktoberfest

Check out our latest episode of 3 Growlers as we sample and review Paulaner's Oktoberfest:

A Night Out at Urban Growler

Last week I finally had some free time to check out someplace on my brewery list, someplace I’ve been eagerly waiting to have a beer at. A free night from chores and work, out at the newest brewery in St. Paul? Add in the historical aspect of this being the first women owned and brewed microbrewery in Minnesota and my interest is peaked.  After work I headed right over to Urban Growler without delay to get a look at this highly talked about brewery for myself.

First impressions are one of the most important pieces of any first meeting, even when that meeting is between you and a new brewery. I like a taproom where I feel comfortable, where I can sit and have beer with a friend or on my own while working. I want to be treated like I’m welcome and walking into Urban Growler felt like I was being welcomed into a friends home. Not only was Urban Growler clean and comfortably lit, but its exposed brick walls and local photography gave the taproom a cozy feel. I found a seat and settled in when something caught my eye. On a chalkboard, near the center of the room, boasted a message. ‘Kill the keg’ it begged of me. If I could kill the keg of Rhubarb Wit I could be the proud winner of a pint glass.  I knew then what my first beer would be.

It was only moments before my server came by to take my order and I almost fell off my chair when he handed me a food menu. Dear Gods of beer, thank you for the tap rooms with food. As someone who regularly suffers from the dreaded drunken munchies (there was that time the hubby had to step in and abort my after festival Dominoes order before it reached the triple digits), I am grateful for even a frozen pizza. But a full, fresh, hot menu of options? For not the first time in my life I regretted that snack before leaving work. Believe me though when I tell you, that I caught myself staring at my fellow patrons, perhaps somewhat creepily, as they devoured delicious looking food. Next time food menu, I will come for you.

But I did have the beer (poor review this would be if I didn’t). I did start with the Rhubarb Wit and if they have any left (spoiler alert: I did not kill the keg. I tried.) you should make it a priority to try before we are fully in the grasp of fall. Summery and fresh, the rhubarb was not overpowering, more of a sweet tangy after taste. I was pleasantly surprised to taste that the coriander in the beer wasn’t overdone, but just right. I don’t mind spices in my beer but often times I find that they are overpowering to the other flavors and my palate. The balance in this was perfect. I had two.

Rhubarb Wit (left) and Blueberry Wheat (right)

Next up was the Blueberry Wheat, the menu boasting that this was the second in their Plow to Pint™ series. Plow to Pint™…my farm girl roots were intrigued. What Urban Growler is doing is partnering with local farms for some of their ingredients, literally from the farm plow to the pint in your hand. As I continued reading I found that the Rhubarb Wit was the first beer in this series. I love the fact that the brewery is sourcing local ingredients and supporting their farm community. The concept isn’t new to the restaurant world but this is the first time I’ve noticed a brewery taking up the model. Genius. And it shows in the beer. The Blueberry Wheat, also fresh and fruity, yet not overly sweet. I find most wheat beers to be very drinkable and this beer was right on in that aspect.  Hopefully this one stays around a little into the fall so I can give it a second go around.

For my next beer (don’t worry, I wasn’t driving) I went for the Cowbell Cream Ale. For my ‘quantity’ drinking I like a good cream ale and this is a good cream ale. Trust me, you’ll like it if you’re a fan of cream ales. Light and fresh, it’ll quench your thirst a couple times over without knocking you on your butt. I wish I’d gotten a growler.

I probably should have left after that one, but since I wasn’t driving, I decided to have one more…a little one though! Yes, ladies and gentlemen, at Urban Growler you can get a half pint! I love it! Sometimes, I want a little less beer. Usually because in the long run I’d like to drink a little more beer, but different beers. There’s nothing worse than staring at a lovely beer menu, knowing that with that slightly full feeling, you’ll have to cut your sampling short.  But the half pint gave me room to explore! Which I did with the Amber Skyline, a gorgeous amber ale. This was perhaps my favorite of the night, which surprised me. While I like ambers, they aren’t usually my first selection. I will be going back for this one though. It was a smooth, caramel beer with that wonderful sweet maltiness to it. This one will have its place in my fall beer rotation.

With work coming early in the morning I had to bring the night to a close. I thanked my servers, who were beyond friendly and fun. On the way out I checked out the beer garden and was a little sad that it had been too blustery out, and I too summerly dressed, to have enjoyed a beer outdoors. It was beautiful though and as soon as the weather permits, I plan going back to enjoy it with my pup. It’s always a plus to sit enjoy a great beer with your best friend. Even if next time I’ll have to drive because, well, he’s a dog. There will be a next time though, and a time after that. So check out Urban Growler if you haven’t already. I for one can’t wait to see what they have in store for St. Paul.

http://www.urbangrowlerbrewing.com/

Brews and Reviews: Indeed's L.S.D (Lavendar, Sunflowers, and Dates) Honey Ale Craft Beer Review

There is a time when you first hold on to a bottle of beer that you realize you had something special in your hands.  That happened to me when I saw my Father-in-law crack open a gift containing a bottle of Indeed's L.S.D Honey Ale.  The wax dipped neck and the extravagant art work teased the greatness that was held within.  Unfortunately this bottle was out of my control.  For all I knew it was flying back to Germany today to be drank overseas, far from discerning tastes...

Luckily he must have saw the hint of jealousy in my eyes as I translated the description to him, in German, because he decided it was best to enjoy it with someone who would rejoice in such a beer!

 

With a little difficulty we finally chipped through the wax and flipped off the cap.  The earthy/raisiny aroma of dates hit us before we could even get our nose into the bottle.  A floral bouquet added a layer to the atmosphere as we poured it into our glasses.  It formed a thick tan head as it continued to waft flavors to our noses.  On closer inspection I was also picking up a slight fresh pine smell too, hiding behind the other aromas.  The first thing I noticed about the taste was a doughy-bready-smooth taste followed a heavy sweet, yet earthy, taste of dates backed with honey.  As the beer warmed up, the flavors came out even more.  The sweetness mellowed a bit, and more earth like flavors came out.  The beer became more mellow if that was even possible.  It had a slight bitterness in the after taste, but it didn't linger long.  This beer had a medium to heavy mouthfeel, and ample, if not subdued, levels of carbonation.

Overall this beer is a great beer to sit on your deck and sip. When I think of this beer it reminds me of the beer recipes I have seen coming from Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt.   If you are looking for something really different, unique, and well crafted you need to look no further.  While the German Pilsner drinkers might not find this crisp or cold enough, it certainly warmed up to me.  This was easily one of the best beers I have drank this year!  Rating:  Excellent!

Oh and Andy!  Thank you for this "Golden Opportunity" to write about this beer!

Brews and Reviews: Drinking the In-Laws

It's that time of year again.  My father in law is in town!  The good news is that we didn't have to buy one case of Bud, it's all Schell's from here an out!  That being said he has undertaken redoing our entire deck.  This of course has led me to drink more then a fare share of new beers.  So to kill two beers with one gulp I decided to post about my sanity saving friends....

I don't know if this is the first year that Summit has made this beer, but I hope it is not the last [Summit contacted me after posting this and say that it was first introduced in 2012].  In a world filled with Summer Lagers this beer is a great edition to anyone's lawn mower beer line up.  This hazy straw gold beer gives off a clean white grape aroma.  It has a nice gentle biscuity malt taste, with mild hop bittering.  Almost like a lingering pilsner.  It has a very thin mouthfeel, it actually feels lighter then water.  I really enjoyed this beer and good easily take down a few of these after a hard day's work in the yard.  Rating:  "Good"

This is not the first year Third Street brought out Hunny Do, but last year it sold out so fast I am not even sure if it made it to the cities.  But luckily they made it a second year!  this hazy pale gold pours with a tight foamy head.  It has an ample floral bouquet in the aroma.  Soft mouthfeel, ample Saaz like bitterness.  It has a dry finish.  Another beer to enjoy after the yard work is done!  Just make sure your Hunny Do list is done as well before cracking into this summer delight.  Rating:  "Good".

 I am a sucker for a good pilsner, so when the make of one of my favorite stouts had a pilsner offering on the shelf of my local liquor establishment, I had to partake.  Left Handed Polestar pilsner is a great offering, again pair well with the muggy days of the Minnesota Craft Beer drinking season.  This pale straw yellow poured with a short white head.  It had a soft hops presence, and gave of hints of cinnamon in the aroma.  The pilsner was softer then they strong German pilsners I am used to, but I think that might make it easier for your average American drinker, so I am overlooking that for this rating.  It has a harp bitter aftertaste reminding me of the noble hops.  It has a very mellow biscuity malt taste with a nuttiness to it, which was my favorite part.  Rating:  "Good"

So there you have three solid beers to try for this summer season.  What are your favorite "lawnmower beers".  Leave us a comment!

Dealing With Beer Fatigue

 
Beer fatigue!  In one form or another all craft beer drinkers will experience beer fatigue, it's inevitable, it will happen.  Whether you are at a beer fest on your second trip through the tables or you are at your local liquor establishment and are starring and a wall of IPAs thinking that cascade hops is just not what you are looking for today, we are here to help!

First off lets define beer fatigue.  I define it (and have experienced) in two terms:

Beer Fatigue #1:  When you are at a beer tasting event and all the beers start taste the same, or you are not picking up the details of the flavor you were when you first started the session.

Beer Fatigue #2:  When you simply can't decide what beer to choose because "they all sound the same".

Today we will be tackling the first type of beer fatigue

1. Eat Something to Cleanse the Pallet:  Do you know those little necklaces of pretzels everyone is wearing at a beer fest?  These are great to cleanse the pallet.  They are light so as not to fill you up (i.e. room for more beer) and the salt help to reset your senses.  Lately I have been seeing beef sticks and cheese on necklaces too, but I don't recommend these as the oily processed cheese and the grease laden beef snack can linger on the pallet masking the more delicate flavors of complex beers.  Personally when available I prefer grapes over pretzels, but this is probably more for your home experience, and not for the beer fest!
2. Drink plenty of water:  I can stress this enough.  Water is the "universal solvent" for a reason.  Not only that but the majority of your body AND beer are made of water, so guess what?  They make a natural fit!  Take it as a queue from nature and clean out your pallet with some good ole H2O
3. Take a break:  I know, with beer fests this can be tough.  You want to get to all the tables before those rare one off casks are gone.  But eventually you need to slow it down.  At private tasting events this is a lot easier to do!  Make some conversation, it doesn't have to all be about the beer.
4. Take small portions:  Want to taste more beers before fatigue sets in?  Take smaller sips.  This is why I like to host beer parties with around 6 to 8 people.  You can take one 12oz bottle, give everyone a little over 1oz of beer and your whole table can get though twelve bottle easily.  Just remember spitting is wine drinkers, suck it up and swallow!
5. Don't Smoke:  Who doesn't love a good cigar with their beer?  Well lots of people, but me I do enjoy a good stogy from time to time, and yes I have broken this rule on a number of occasions.  Save it for the end of the night.  Smoking will ruin your pallet!
6. Drink from Light to Dark:  Whenever possible drink from light to dark.  The fresh citrusy hops that are more abundant with lighter beers will actually help keep your pallet fresh.  Meanwhile the more earthy, thick stouts and porters will coat your mouth masking the flavors of the next beer.
7. It's okay to switch from analyzing to fun:  My last bit of advice is something I learned while trying to marathon through a bunch of beers for my journal.  Eventually even drinking 1oz pours gets to you.  Your head starts getting fuzzy, and soon all the pilsners start tasting the same.  It happens.  It's okay to say "Okay, now I am drinking for fun".  At this point if I am hosting I like to have something local on hand like Grainbelt of Summit EPA.  Relatively well liked by most of my circle of beer drinking friends, and less expensive because at this point you don't want to be drinking that $40 bottle of Fulton's War and Peace you have been aging for a year.

So what are your tips and tricks for dealing with beer fatigue?  Leave us a comment!

Oh what was I saying...well it seems like I am hitting some writers fatigue.  But that is a story for another blog.  Until next time!  PROST!

Confessions of a Sober Cab: Walk This Way



In the wilds of Wisconsin, eating the native food.

Sometimes getting to the party in a car just isn’t an option. In my drinking history there have been times where nobody had a working car (college) or the logistics of parking and driving just didn’t work out (downtown events). Sometimes it simply boils downs to the fact that nobody wants to be the driver (often). That’s the way it went down at the New Glarus Bacon, Beer, and Cheese Festival. There were only two of us out in the wilds of WI for the festival and neither of us wanted to be the sober cab. Hey, it happens! In this case we both wanted to SAMPLE ALL THE BEER!  Plus, we had taken the SUV for the trip, which is a manual transmission. I can’t drive a stick. This is a vehicle decision that the husband has regretted from time to time, usually on a sunny hung over drive home in the AM. Oh he could teach me, but then I’d be the one steering my throbbing head through the bright sunlight. I’m in no hurry to learn. 
So where exactly did that leave us? Since we’d already invested a fair amount into gas to get to the other side of Wisconsin, we didn’t feel like paying for a cab ride. Don’t worry though beer lovers! There are options besides motorized ones, so don’t cancel your plans out for the night! Among them we have biking (we had no bikes), travel by beast (there were no available beasts to ride), or the most awesome of all sober car-less methods - the piggy back ride. (The piggy back ride method should be used only in extreme cases of drinking fun however, as it is likely to lead to the loss of the knees in your jeans and a very sexy case of forehead scrape.) Surprisingly,Andy didn’t want to partake in the most awesome method, so we were stuck with something more mundane – walking. 

Hear me out. First off, walking your intoxicated self home can be quite fun. In this case, we were walking from our campground to the festival, and back again, and we happened to pass the New Glarus brewery on the way.  We decided get a head start on the festival with a couple of Serendipity’s on the gorgeous patio outside their tap room. If you’re walking to some place to drink beer, in which you’ll pass other places to drink beer, there are simply more options to drink beer. It’s very simple reasoning really.  When you’re walking you have the ease of stopping in someplace for a quick patio beer that all parties involved can partake in. 

Hello, it's nature, was it me you're looking for?



There’s also nature, if you’re into that sort of thing. And why wouldn’t you be? There’s nothing better than taking a stroll through a shaded forest path and hearing the birds sing. As our hiking path led us through the woods and straight into downtown New Glarus, I was reminded that the destination wasn’t the only thing to look forward to enjoying. The journey can be just as fun, especially if you like your companions. (This is key to any beer event or night out really.) Part of the appeal to walking to and from an event is the ability to enjoy your surroundings and your company at your pace, without the worrisome distractions of traffic lights and…pedestrians.  Plus, exercise, right? Hey, take it where you can get it, especially if you plan on consuming massive quantities of bacon and cheese with your beer. 

The walk back to campsite, sweet campsite, was even more fun because beer. We drank our fill at the festival and began our summery stumbles home, stopping at Ruef’s Meat
Market for a campsite dinner. We grabbed a package of their beer and onion brats, made with Spotted Cow beer. Hitting the local grocer up the street, we added a smoked cheddar cheese and a bottle of New Glarus Strawberry Rhubarb to our evening picnic. Once we got back to our site, Andy set about grilling the most fabulous brats I’d had to that point in the summer. I set about drunkenly scavenging things to finish our picnic, such as this wonderful New Glarus cutting board I discovered.  We dined to our hearts content and fell asleep well exercised under the stars.



Cutting board  - patent pending. 

But don't forget to be safe my fellow walkers! Don’t fall prey to dangers that can come with a drunken walk home, mostly dangers due to being drunk and walking home. Be smart about it – don’t walk in places you shouldn’t (like a freeway), don’t stumble in and out of traffic (like…a freeway), obey any signs you see (stay off the damn freeway!), and for beers sake look both ways before crossing a street. Finally, you should follow the buddy system whenever you can. Your buddy will help you stay on track to make sure you get home, and the right home at that. They also can provide a landing mat in the event of a fall, which may occur when you’re walking and drinking. I myself had to use my buddy as a landing mat during a memorable walk home with my college roommate. While supporting ourselves in a manner similar to that of a three legged race, we somehow managed to trip ourselves. With our dexterity compromised, we rolled around on the sidewalk on top of each other, vainly trying to get up. It was just enough of an effort to cause us to struggle for a few minutes, a heap of giggling hair and limbs. As a passing truck full of frat boys hooted their enjoyment at watching two drunken twenty something’s play invisible twister on a WI sidewalk, we managed to pull ourselves up. We stumbled and giggled the next 15 feet to our dorm without further incident. Inside…well was another matter.  But we followed the rules to drunken walking and made it home safe, minus a few bits of denim on our knees and some elbow skin. 

We need this to help recover from the exercise.
That is medicinal cheese.



So don’t forget my fellow beer drinkers, that walking home is an option. Trust me, it’ll be a blast and the buzz will make your forget that you’re exerting yourself physically. Luckily Andy and I managed to stay upright during our walk. But had I fallen, I would have pushed him first. Remember, your drinking buddy is your friend and companion, but they make a great landing mat as well.

Brews and Reviews: Stouts for Summer Badger Hill Foundation Stout

Stouts are not just for winter drinking anymore.  There are plenty of drinkable, sessionable stouts that almost qualify as "lawnmower" beers.  In my opinion Badger Hill's Foundation Stout fits the summer bill for craft beer stout drinkers.

This beer pours inky black with a decent foamy soft brown head.  A noticeable coffee aroma pleasantly passes my nose as I pass my glass under it.  The first sip gives off bitter coffee tones with a hint of chocolate.  It reminds me of my favorite mocha lattes.  Where the difference really lies in this beer from other stouts is in the feel.  Most stouts come off with a heavy mouth feel, this beer has a light-medium mouth feel, and had amble bubbly carbonation.  This stout also doesn't leave the heaviest of after tastes.  And has a lingering coffee bitterness with a hint of a sharp citrus hoppiness.  As the beer warms up the beer takes on a slightly heavier chocolaty tone, as well as a more fruity ale like flavors. 

Overall this is a solid beer, and will be a staple in my beer fridge since I first drank.  I give this a **1/2 Rating (Excellent).

So fear not stout and porter lovers, while winter is still a few months away, there are plenty of great stouts to fit the season.  So grab the lawnmower, get some yard work and done, and finish off the day with a well deserved Foundation Stout by Badger Hill!

Beer Style Guide: Bocks

Spring is just around the corner…

I say this as we are currently looking down the throat of a Winter Storm Warning.  But still the 40°F days we had this week was a welcome break to the -20°F we have had since early December.  While I am looking forward to Spring, I am also looking forward to the beer season that is represented by some of my favorite styles; Kölsch styles, Cream Ales, and Bocks.  Today we are going to talk about Bocks, an often overlooked member of the Lager family.  Bock style is actually a super style that encompasses many sub styles like Maibock, Dopplebock, Dunkel Bock, and the oft overlooked Eisbock.

First let’s take a look at the history of Bock Beers:

Bocks are a strong beer originating from Einbeck, Germany.  In general true bocks are above 6.5% ABV.  There are reports that Bock beer was being brewed prior to 1578 (Oliver, 2012).  Bock beer is actually a superfamily of beers and the family includes Maibocks, Dopplebocks, Dunkle Bock, and Eisbock.  Here are the general characteristics of each:

Maibock:  Maibocks are generally around 6.5% - 8% ABV.  They are rich and creamy, malty, with a slight bitter aftertaste (Mosher, 2009).

Dopplebock:  Roughly the same ABV.  The flavor is a big burst of Carmel that finishes with a roasty finish.  A lot of Dopplebocks have names that end in “-ator” (Mosher, 2009).

Dunkle Bock:    Dunkle being the German word for dark, this is one of the darker offerings from the bock family.  It has a creamy malt taste with a soft bitter finish, with a hint of cocoa (Mosher, 2009).

Eisbock:  This is a very strong version of one of the previous types of Bocks.  Usually the beer passes the 7% ABV mark.  It is a Bock that undergoes a process called freeze distilling.  This separates the water from the rest of product.  What is left is a stronger version of the beer that is more intense.

We have a lot of German Immigrants here in Minnesota.  As many of you know, New Ulm is home to a large population of German Americans.  August Schell’s Brewery from New Ulm specializes in traditional German style beers including Bocks.  In fact hey host an annual Bock Fest to celebrate this awesome beer.  If you are reading this before March 1^st, 2014 check out the link to find out about details on Bockfest!  Many places offer bus service to this big outdoor party including our friends at the Herkimer!

Here are examples of Minnesota Bocks:

• Schell’s Bock
• Summit Maibock (Seasonal)
• Schell’s Maifest (Seasonal)
• Harriet Brewing Sol Bock

Here are examples of other famous Bocks:

• Hinterland Maple Bock (Green Bay, WI)
• New Glarus Cabin Fever (New Glarus, WI) (Seasonal)
• Shiner Bock (TX)

Works Cited

Mosher, T. (2009). Tasting Beer: An Insider's Guide To The World's Greatest Drink. North Adams, MA: Storey Publishing.

Oliver, G. (2012). The Oxford Companion to Beer. New York: Oxford University Press.

Surviving A Beer Fest!

Hello Beerploma Nation!

For those tried and true Minnesotans you know that winter is all about hunkering down, and waiting for the spring thaw.  It brings on a state of mind called cabin feaver.  It can drive a person totally crazy.  Luckily the Craft Beer Industry is here to help!  There are several craft beer festivals to help you thaw out for a few moments and forget about the -26 F days (and for those non-Minnesotans out there, that is BEFORE the wind chill).  We recently had The Mankato Craft beer festival last week, and we have two more coming up that Beerploma will be attending (if you want to meet us, just post a message down below, we would love to meet some of our audience):

The St. Cloud Craft Beer Tour (January 18th):  For those of you up in the St. Cloud area this is a perfect time to sample beers you might not get elsewhere.  It's indoors so you will stay warm, and there is a great selection of breweries.

Beer Dabbler Winter Carnival Event (January 25th):  For the tried and true, or the just plain insane!  This festival is help outdoors at the State Fair Grounds.  So dress warm, and don't forget your mitts!  This is one of Minnesota's most popular beer fests.  This year people in attendance can help participate in a chance to set a world record for the worlds largest snowball fight!

 

 Red Wing Wings and Brew Fest (March 15th): If you can think of a better way to thaw yourself from a long winter then drinking some killers beers, and spicy chicken wings...well then you must be at the bacon/beer fest, because seriously, that's the only thing that can top this!

So pick one, or pick all of these great events, scrape the snow off your car and head out to for a great winter time!  So if this is your first fest here are a couple of survival tips:

1. Don't forget your ID:  They won't even let you in the door without a proper ID.  And if by some chance you forget yours, don't be mad at the staff.  They are just doing there job to make sure these events don't get shut down by letting a minor in.
2. Eat a big meal before hand:  Those beers add up fast, not to mention that you will be mixing several types and flavors which can wreak havoc on a stomach.  
3. Bring Pretzels:  Most beer fests let you bring pretzel necklaces in order to cleanse the pallet between beers.
4. Shed some pounds:  My first beer fest I brought a backpack with books and all sorts of other non-sense.  Leave them at home, you won't have time.
5. Bring a Journal:  If you keep a beer journal, like I do, go ahead and bring it.  Just you should come up with an abbreviated way to jot your notes down.  One of the earliest lessons I got from my bird watching days is that you don't want to spend all your time with your nose in a book.  A lot of beginners will take a glimpse at a bird then spend the rest of their time with their nose in the book trying to identify it.  Instead spend that time studying the bird until it flies out of sight.  Remember you are there to celebrate the beers, plenty of time for research later.
6. Do not boggart the line:  Get your beer and step off to the side.  There is a good chance there are about 20 to 50 people in line behind you waiting to taste it to.
7. Do talk to the people from the breweries:  Once you have your beer feel free to step aside and ask questions about what you are drinking!  It's a great learning opportunity, and they are there as a resource.  Again, just make sure you are not holding the line up, and don't expect them to stop working to make time for you.
8. Take in the shows.  A lot of these craft beer fests have a stage area set up where beer historians, beer experts, and brewers will put on presentations.  It's a great way to get off your feet for a few seconds, and learn what these great people have to say.
9. Meet some new friends:  Everyone who participates in these fests have one thing in common, the love of craft beer.  And isn't that the hardest part of getting to know people, finding that initial point of interest to spark a conversation.  Break out of your shell and say hello to someone new.  And the best part is that it gets easier after a few drinks!
10. Be safe and responsible:  Always drink responsibly and have a plan to get home, or get a hotel near the event.  Just be SAFE.

So if you happen to be at one of the above events, feel free to track us down and say hello!  We would love for a chance to meet you.